Whole Wheat Sourdough Loaf

Sourdough Wheat Sandwich Bread

1. Mix 1 cup water and 1 cup whole wheat flour in a mason jar. Shake well. Loosen the top a little so air can get in. Keep at a temperature of about 80 degrees for 24 hours.

2. Mix 1 cup San Francisco sourdough starter (See note below), 1 cup milk and 1 cup whole wheat flour in a bread bowl. Add 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Beat 100 strokes with a spoon or a couple of minutes with an electric mixer. Add the whole wheat starter from step 1. Cover with a bowl cover or plastic wrap.

3. Put in a warm place (about 85 degrees) until very bubbly.

4. Mix 2 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons gluten flour, 2 teaspoons diastatic malt powder, and 2 teaspoons brown sugar with 1 cup whole wheat flour.

5. Add to the sourdough mixture in the bowl. Mix well.

6. Add whole wheat bread flour to make a soft dough. Knead in ¼ cup soft butter.

7. Knead in more flour carefully to make a firm dough.

8. Let rise at 85 degrees until doubled. Deflate. Let rise until about doubled again.

9. Form into a loaf. Let rise again in loaf pan at 85 degrees F. When the bread has risen to the top of the pan, remove it from the proofer and smear the top all over with soft butter.

10. Bake in a non-preheated 365 degree oven.

11. Loaf is done when it reads 190 degrees, or 200 degrees if you like a bread with a slightly drier crumb.

Notes:

When you remove the mixture of whole wheat flour and water from the proofer (step 1), it should have developed bubbles and a sour odor.

You may use either a bread proofer or a box with a heating pad set on low. Or, if you have a reliable warm place that will keep your bread mixtures at about 85 degrees F, use that. See my discussion of warming boxes--click here.

For "San Francisco Sourdough Starter," I use the Sourdough International starter, mixed and fermented according to the manufacturer's directions.